Shadows
by augustdarkstar
Summary: "Come on, touch the moon and make a wish." Jacob asked Bella. So she did. Some wishes need to be earned to come true. Set in BD after the wedding. AU
1. Chapter 1

**Shadows**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

**Part One**

Jacob lay on his back and looked up at the moon, it was high above the heavens and illuminated the dark waters which were lapping along the shores of First beach. The stars were like a glittering blanket across the night sky; for once there was no cloud cover to ruin the effect. He turned and looked at Bella, who was lying beside him on the beach. Her eyes too were riveted on the round disc in the sky. She looked thoughtful and he wondered whether she was making a wish.

"What are you thinking?" He asked her.

"Just that's it's so beautiful out here, and peaceful." Bella replied softly. "It feels like I can reach up and touch the moon."

Jacob rolled onto his side and looked at her. "You can you know."

"What? Touch the moon?" Bella's lips curved up into a small smile.

"Yeah. Come on, I'll show you." Jacob jumped up easily, he held out his hand and, when she took it, he hauled her up beside him. He began to lead her toward the small little tide pools that lay further down the beach.

"Why have you brought me here?" Bella asked in amusement.

Jacob knelt down in front of the small pool and touched the water. The image of the moon was reflected in it like a mirror. As soon as he put his fingers onto the image, it shimmered, creating a ripple effect. "See, I'm touching the moon."

Bella smiled at his naivety. "That's so sweet."

Jacob glanced up at her and grinned. "Come on, touch the moon and make a wish."

Bella decided to humour him, she knelt down in the soft sand and reached out to touch the round disc that was reflected in the water. She closed her eyes as she did so and made a wish.

"Well what did you wish for?" Jacob asked her curiously when she had opened her eyes again.

"I wished that I could always be as happy as I am right now." She told him.

Some wishes have to be earned to come true.

* * *

Bella Cullen looked out the window of the black Mercedes, the cool leather seats were making her feel quite chilly. Her new husband had passed her a warm blanket which she was in the process of wrapping around her shoulders. It had been a mistake to wear the thin designer dress that Alice had picked out for her. Sometimes her sister-in-law forgot that she felt the cold. Edward was sitting right on the other side of the back seat, being careful to put some space between them. He knew his cold skin could make Bella feel more chilly, so he thoughtfully kept his distance from his new bride. Bella couldn't fail to see the irony of the situation.

The sleek car sped on through the night. Bella had no idea where she was going, Edward had insisted on keeping their honeymoon destination a secret. No amount of pleading had made him give even the faintest hint. Bella just hoped it was somewhere warm. She pulled the blanket tighter around her as she continued to stare out of the car window. Her eyes travelled up to the dark sky, it was a clear night, the sky littered with stars. The view was breathtaking. Instinctively, she searched for the moon. A small smile played about her lips as she saw the huge round disc suspended in the sky. Closing her eyes she made a wish.

"Let him forgive me and find happiness." She murmured.

"What was that my love?" Edward asked her.

"Oh nothing." Bella gave him a forced smile, she turned away from the window and slouched in the seat, trying to infuse some warmth into her chilled bones.

* * *

_Two weeks later;_

Bella lay on her old bed, staring up at the ceiling. Every part of her body ached and she winced as pain shot up her side. Her cracked ribs were slow in healing. She moved her arm and the sleeve of her pyjama top fell down revealing a series of bruises. One was particularly prominent, it showed the imprint of five clearly defined fingers. Bella stared at it for a moment before yanking her sleeve down again. The movement caused her to gasp in pain. Fresh tears welled out of her eyes. Her life was one messed up disaster; her marriage was in ruins, her husband, sick at what he had done to her had disappeared, leaving her in the care of his family.

Bella hadn't been able to stand the Cullen's pitying looks. She had begged Carlisle to let her go home to Charlie. He had finally agreed, escorting her there personally. Charlie had been shocked and then enraged when he had seen Bella's injuries. Carlisle had managed to tell him a convincing lie about a skiing accident. He said that Edward was in much worse shape and recovering in one of the top hospitals. Carlisle had told Charlie he thought it best to bring Bella home as there was nothing she could do for her husband at present.

Charlie had begrudgingly wished Edward a speedy recovery and watched suspiciously as Carlisle gently bid his daughter goodbye and told her he would be in touch. After the Doctor had left, Charlie had asked her to tell him the truth, but Bella stubbornly stuck to the lie until finally her father gave up.

She had now been back home for six hours and night had fallen. Charlie was fast asleep in his room and the house was deathly silent. Bella struggled to sit upright, the pain from her cracked ribs made her cry out. She waited for a moment, fretting that the noise would wake her father, but as he didn't come rushing in, she assumed he was still asleep. Attempting to be more careful, Bella slid off the bed, gritting her teeth to stop herself crying out again. With faltering steps she walked over to the window and carefully parted the curtains, the light from the full moon cast shadows on her pale face as she stared up at it.

"_Come on, touch the moon and make a wish._" Jacob's voice resounded in Bella's head.

Closing her eyes tightly, Bella did just that, her hands clutching the windowsill to keep herself steady.

Out of sight, hidden in the dark shadows cast by the surrounding forest, a large russet wolf stared up at Bella's window, watching her.

_**A/N-thank you for taking the time to read. Amber :)**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Shadows**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-thanks for the awesome reviews. :) **_

**Part Two**

Billy watched his son slip into the house. It was eight in the morning, he had been out all night. Jacob walked straight to the kitchen and opened the cupboards, hunting for some food. He growled when he found nothing but dried bread. Reluctantly he stuck a few pieces under the grill and waited for them to toast. He then turned and opened the fridge, pulling out a canister of milk and draining the contents.

"Where have you been?" Billy rolled his chair into the kitchen and glared at Jacob. "In some girl's bed I suppose."

Jacob wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as he glanced back at his father. "That's none of your business."

"Yes it is." Billy snapped. "I was worried."

"Don't be." Jacob said nonchalantly. He checked the bread and flipped them over to toast the other side. "I can take care of myself."

"That's bullshit." Billy didn't mince his words. "You're a mess, look at that state of you."

Jacob's eyes narrowed. He took a few deep breaths to reign in his anger. "What I do is up to me."

"This is getting ridiculous, Jacob." Billy retorted. "How many times have Sam and the others had to haul your ass back out of a bar? I know you have a high tolerance for alcohol, but that crap you've been drinking messes with your head. This can't carry on. She's gone, just accept it. You are not the first person to have their heart broken."

Jacob turned off the grill and dumped the toasted bread onto a plate. He spun round and marched past his father. "You know nothing old man, so stay out of it." He growled.

Billy clenched his fists in frustration as he heard Jacob's door slam. That's where he would stay until his hunger drove him to seek food again, then he would head out for the night, not to be seen again until the next morning. It had become a regular pattern for the last two weeks since Bella had left for her honeymoon. Billy put his head in his hands, giving in to his despair, he was helpless. There was nothing he could do drag his son back from the dark path he was heading down. Not for the first time he cursed Bella in his head; she was to blame for the state his son was in.

* * *

Charlie sat down at the breakfast table with his daughter. Bella was playing with her cereal. She would put the spoon in the bowl and stir it round and round, her eyes fixated on it. Her actions were setting Charlie's teeth on edge.

"Will you just please eat it, kiddo?" He begged her.

Bella raised her head and seemed to finally notice he was there. "Sorry." She mumbled. She pushed her plate away from her. "I'm not hungry. I think I'll go back to bed."

"No wait." Charlie caught her hand and held her in place. "We need to talk."

Bella pulled her hand out of his, and gave him an irritated glance. "About?"

"What the hell happened while you were away?" Charlie said bluntly.

Bella flinched. She hid behind her long hair and sank back in her chair. "Nothing happened. Edward and I had an accident while skiing. He was hurt worse then me. Carlisle told you."

"You don't really expect me to believe that crap, Bells." Charlie questioned her. "Tell me the truth. Did that son of a bitch lay hands on you?"

A painful gasp escaped Bella's lips. Her arm wandered over her chest and she began to cry. "I can't take this."

"Bells, stop it." Charlie yelled at her. "I won't have you going down that path again. Talk to me."

Bella shook her head fiercely. "I can't. Don't ask me again." She begged him. Getting up from her chair she stumbled out of the room and up the stairs.

Charlie ran a hand through his greying hair. He had no idea what to do. Bella was a mess, she looked exactly like she did the first time Cullen had abandoned her in the forest. He hated Edward and if he ever showed his face around his daughter again, Charlie was determined to break every bone in his body before he let that creep near Bella again.

* * *

Bella lay on her bed and cried. She couldn't take anymore. It had been a mistake coming back to live with her dad. She should have guessed that Charlie wouldn't believe such a stupid story. Perhaps she could go and stay with her mother for a while. Renee, after the initial fuss, would usually leave her in peace. Bella suddenly longed for the sun and warmth. As soon as she thought about the sun, Jacob came into her mind. No...she couldn't go down that road. She had hurt him enough. When she regained some of her strength, Bella was determined to contact her mom and make arrangements to leave Forks and everything associated with it, forever.

Rolling onto her side, Bella closed her eyes and pulled the bed covers right over her head. Soon she fell into a fitful sleep; she didn't wake up for the rest of the day.

* * *

The moon was shining through the parted curtains. It shone in Bella's eyes making her squint as she finally woke up. She was astonished to find that she had slept for hours. By her bed was a glass of water and some snacks. A tear rolled out of her eye as she realized her dad must have sneaked in while she was sleeping and left them for her. She felt ashamed of the way she had been treating him, but didn't have enough energy inside to do anything about it.

Bella picked up the glass of water and took a long drink, suddenly realizing how thirsty she was. Afterwards she put the glass down and ran her hands through her tangled hair. She felt lousy and was desperate to have a shower, but she could hardly start it up at this time of night. Her father would hear. Bella sighed as she climbed out of bed and wandered over to her window. Like she always did she looked out at the moon and made a wish. She closed her eyes and said the words silently in her head. When she opened her eyes again she glanced over toward the encroaching forest and gasped. A large russet colored wolf was standing within the trees looking directly up at her.

"Jacob?" She whispered. Bella continued to stare back down at the wolf for a few tense seconds, before she saw it suddenly begin to back into the trees. "No, come back."

Bella left her room, wincing as a sharp pain flashed down her side. Her ribs were still causing her pain, but she managed to ignore it. She was just so desperate to reach the trees and stop the wolf from leaving. Bella managed to make it down the stairs in one piece; she headed into the kitchen and fumbled with the key to the back door, dropping it in her haste to get outside. Finally she managed to twist the key in the lock. She yanked the door open, flinching as the cold night air hit her skin, raising goose bumps along her arms.

Bella hadn't thought about putting on any shoes or a coat. She was so eager to find the wolf that she unthinkingly fled outside in her bare feet, leaving impressions in the tall grass as she tried her best to head toward the spot she had seen the wolf. He hadn't been in her imagination, he hadn't! Eventually after what seemed like an eternity, Bella reached the trees, the dark canopy of leaves shut out any light as she padded barefoot along the moist ground. She was shivering now, running her hands up and down her chilled arms to try and infuse some warmth in them.

"Jake." She called out tentatively. Her thin pyjamas clung to her frail body as she turned in circles trying to see something, anything.

The sound of a twig snapping behind her made Bella spin round again. She let out a small cry as she saw the wolf standing proudly in front of her. Her eyes traveled up his long legs and huge shoulders until they met his intelligent dark eyes. It had been months since Bella had seen the large russet wolf this close. She reached out a trembling hand and touched the thick fur around his neck. Her fingers sank into his rough coat and she felt warmth begin to heat up her cold hands.

"I knew you were really here." Bella mumbled as she pushed her body against the side of the wolf. He stood still as she reached up and and hugged his neck, resting her head on his strong shoulder.

They stood that way for several moments, by this time Bella was toasty warm, the wolf's supernatural warmth soothing her chilled bones. Eventually the wolf moved his large head and began sniffing her gently all over. Bella stayed close to his side as he completed his examination. When he was finished he nudged her gently with his nose. Bella stepped back, making sure to keep her fingers clutched tightly onto the thick fur on his neck.

"What is it?" She whispered.

The wolf turned his head and looked deeper into the forest. He took a step toward the thick trees, Bella stumbled along at his side, still holding onto his fur. It dawned on her that he wanted her to follow him. Slowly the wolf moved further into the forest, being careful to keep at a pace that Bella could maintain. She made sure to keep her hand on his side. Unlike him she couldn't see anything. The red wolf guided her through the trees, choosing the easiest path so Bella wouldn't hurt herself.

After fifteen minutes had passed in this way, Bella realised she could see moonlight again. The trees thinned out and they suddenly stepped out into a wide clearing. Bella's eyes opened in wonder as she stared around. In front of her was a small lake, the water was smooth like a mirror, reflected on the shiny surface was the image of the moon.

"You remembered, Jake." Bella whispered. She left the wolf's side and glided over to the lake; falling onto her knees Bella reached out and touched the surface of the water. It made the image of the moon shimmer slightly. Closing her eyes, she kept her hand in the water as she made another wish.

Bella felt the wolf stop beside her, she opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Are you making a wish too?" She asked him.

The wolf looked at her for a few seconds before suddenly jumping into the water, causing the water to spray all over her. Bella yelled in shock as the water drenched her. The wolf dived under the water and then suddenly reappeared in front of her. Bella gazed into his huge dark eyes, and without thinking, followed him into the water. It was ice cold. She gasped with the shock of it. The wolf immediately pushed her with his nose, forcing her back onto the bank. Bella stood in front of him shivering.

A soft whine left the wolf's jaws as he came up to her. He sniffed her again as Bella began to tremble violently. The cold was making her on the verge of passing out. She reached out and touched his neck again, before falling to the floor at his feet. The wolf let out an alarmed whimper. He nudged her fallen body gently with his paws but she didn't move. He could see her chest rising and falling as she lay on the forest floor. Swiftly the wolf lowered his head and clamped his teeth on the back of Bella's pyjama top. He lifted her off the floor, her body dangling like a broken dolls, and began to trot back toward her house.

He reached the trees that surrounded the Swan's back garden within moments. The wolf gently placed Bella back on the ground. She was still out cold. The wolf was in a dilemma, he couldn't carry her into the house. The wolf whined again before his form shimmered and a man took his place.

Jacob quickly picked Bella up in his arms and carried her over to the house, through the opened back door and up the stairs to her room. He never made a sound the whole time. Carefully Jacob lay Bella on her bed and drew the covers up to her chin. He stood next to her for a while to make sure she was okay. Her frigid skin began to warm up and he was relieved to see that she was beginning to stir. Before she opened her eyes, Jacob lay his hand on her forehead, letting his warm fingers brush her skin.

"Jake." Bella murmured as her eyelids began to flutter open. When her eyes gained focus she was surprised that she was alone. She stared around but her room was empty.

* * *

Billy watched the clock. He had been up most of the night waiting for his son to return. He had gone to check his room and had been angry to find it empty. Jacob had used the window to sneak out. It was five in the morning when he heard the front door open and the sound of footsteps. Jacob emerged, his tan skin was glistening with water and his black hair was standing up in spikes.

"What the hell happened to you?" Billy demanded.

"Went for a swim." Jacob muttered.

"Talk to me, Jake." Billy begged him.

"I'm tired." Jacob ignored his dad's pleas and went to his room, slamming the door after him.

Billy was once again left alone, fretting about how he could help his son.

_**A/N-thank you for taking the time to read. Amber :)**_


End file.
